This invention relates generally to a positioning and locking apparatus for facilitating the opening of canisters containing toxic and/or radioactive powder materials.
In the handling of toxic materials, such as radioactive materials for example, strict accountability is required to preclude loss and/or misplacement of such materials and to prevent inadvertent human contact therewith. It is especially difficult to maintain proper accountability and prevent the spread of contaminants when handling bulk powder materials. In a typical fuel fabricating facility for example, special nuclear powdered material, such as uranium or plutonium oxides, must be removed from specially designed canister assemblies for processing and ultimate fabrication into desired fuel pellets. These specially designed canister assemblies comprise an inner canister contained and snuggly nested within an outer canister to provide a double containment barrier for the radioactive material. The inner canister contains radioactive material provided with its own sealed removable lid. The outer canister also is provided with a sealed removable cap or lid. Manually handling these canister assemblies and removing the outer canister lid to gain access to the inner canister is not only difficult and time consuming requiring a high degree of dexterity and strength, but also poses a safety hazard.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a solution to the above problem by providing an apparatus for remotely and automatically positioning and locking such canister assemblies in place to facilitate removal of the inner canister or container from the outer canister.
It is another object of this invention to provide a positioning fixture for accommodating and properly orienting a canister assembly to assist in the removal of the outer canister lid.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide the foregoing fixture with a guide arrangement assuring proper orientation of the canister assembly within said fixture.
These and other objects, advantages, and characterizing features of the present invention will become clearly apparent from the ensuing detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof, taken together with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters denote like parts throughout the various views.